Seigi
by eillwony
Summary: AU/SF - Bounty Hunter Chiba Mamoru is close on the trail of mass murderer Seigi when he meets Usagi. Meetings with her cause him to doubt what he knows. Matters don't improve when he uncovers evidence that clouds the guilt of Seigi. What is truth and just


Disclaimer: If I owned any of the characters from Bishoujo Senshi Sailormoon, do you honestly think I'd be driving around a car old enough to have its own license?  
  
However, the plot, idea, setting, and other original story elements are mine and plagiarists will suffer not only my wrath but also that of my Squirrel Mafia.  
  
********  
  
Seigi  
  
by eillwony  
  
The single bulb in the hallway flickered fitfully, casting strange patterns on the wall through the fixture's cracked glass. A small red light flashed on and off at the end of the hall, illuminating the sickly gray walls every other second with a glow of ruby light.  
  
He had followed Seigi's trail across four planets and a moon colony to this run-down hotel. He'd checked out the hotel and there was only one exit to the room where his prey slept. There would be no miraculous escape this time.  
  
Silently, he slipped down the hall to the single doorway and pressed his ear to the cold metal. Several minutes passed without a sound from within the room. He double-checked that his gun was charged and held it ready in his right hand. Flattening against the wall beside the door, he pressed the button next to the flashing light and slipped into the dark room as the panel whooshed open.  
  
He'd only taken a few steps before a foot lashed out of the shadow and kicked the gun out of his hand. He heard it hit a far wall but ignored it as the foot circled back and knocked him in the back of his knees. Following the movement of the fall, he rolled into a crouch and pivoted around, ready for the next attack. He saw the fists headed toward him, dodged, and managed to grab the wrist of his attacker. He used the momentum of the punch the draw his opponent in front of him. While he twisted the trapped arm, his other hand snaked around the figure's neck in a chokehold.  
  
He released his hold ever so slightly when his mind registered that he was holding woman, but he quickly wrenched her back into him when he felt her breaking free. Compensating for his surprise, he shook his new prisoner in an attempt to quiet her down. When she only fought harder, he twisted her arm farther back.  
  
The cold pressure of what he knew to be a gun in his ribs made him stop. He knew that the infamous Seigi had a new victim.  
  
"Please stop hurting her," a soft voice pleaded. "I really don't want to have to harm you, but I will if you don't release her."  
  
In more shock than acquiescence, he let the woman go. It had been a distinctly female voice behind the gun. How had he made a mistake? Seigi was supposed to be here, not a couple of women.  
  
"Thank you." The second woman released the pressure of the weapon in his ribs. "Now, please don't move."  
  
His eyes followed the dark from of the woman he'd been holding to a wall. She pressed a switch and pale lights sputtered on. His pride was somewhat mollified when he saw that the brunette was nearly as tall as he was and had the air of a seasoned fighter. Her green eyes flashed as she massaged the red skin of her wrist.  
  
He turned as the second woman began speaking again. "Would you like to tell me why you barged into our room and attacked my friend or would you rather I just call the police immediately?"  
  
The smiling blue eyes and the relaxed demeanor belied the threatening tone of voice. He'd never seen such long hair or that golden hue. He felt his gut loosen despite the gun leveled at his midsection. Then he remembered why he was here.  
  
"Where is Seigi," he demanded. "Where did he go?"  
  
"Seigi? I know of no Seigi," she looked at her friend questioningly. "Do you know of Seigi, Mako-chan?"  
  
The brunette laughed bitterly. "No one but you and me in here all night. Not unless he ghosted in and out of the walls. Perhaps Seigi doesn't even exist. It's all a big myth in the news."  
  
They both laughed and he felt like he was on the outside of an inside joke. To cover his discomfort he hardened his voice and started toward the blonde. "This is no laughing manner! Aiding a criminal makes you a criminal too!" He stopped short as the gun raised a few inches.  
  
"Please, do not get angry. You are the one who barged into our room. You are the one who is behaving like a criminal. If I shot you now, the police would not question me. I would simply have been defending myself against an intruder." The smile had slipped from the eyes to the mouth, and the earlier warmth he felt had entirely disappeared.  
  
He decided that a cocky attitude might call her bluff. "Then why don't you shoot me?"  
  
"Because guns aren't really my style." Her casual response raised goosebumps on his skin, but they receded a bit with an unexpected giggle from her. "Besides, no one has ever beaten Mako-chan before, and I was interested in meeting such a remarkable being."  
  
He stole a glance back at "Mako-chan" to find her glowering at him, but remaining where she was.  
  
"So. . . are you going to enlighten us," she growled.  
  
He looked back at the blonde and mentally shrugged his shoulders. "Chiba Mamoru."  
  
"Now that wasn't so difficult, was it?" She motioned to her friend. "Makoto will see you escorted out. If you so much as enter this hotel again, I will call the police and have you arrested."  
  
Mamoru felt nails dig into his skin as a hand gripped his upper arm. "This way. . . Chiba," Makoto steered him through the door.  
  
"Oh, Mako-chan," the blonde called. "Catch!"  
  
Mamoru watched his gun fly through the air toward them. Makoto's slim arm darted up to catch it while her other arm tightened its death grip.  
  
"Give it back to him when he's out of the hotel," she directed.  
  
Mamoru mechanically allowed himself to be led out of the building while he reviewed the scene in the hotel room. He decided that somehow his informants must have been fed inaccurate information. That was a problem to be rectified immediately. If not, the murderer would kill again. He must not let that happen.  
  
"I will not be beaten a second time." Makoto's voice shattered his thoughts. "Why not save your dignity and wear the honor of being the only person to defeat me. You won't be able to claim that if you come back." She tossed his gun into the night and turned back into the building, sealing the door behind her.  
  
It wasn't until he was picking leaves out of the barrel of his gun that he realized he never heard the blonde's name  
  
*****  
  
Makoto slipped back into the room and crossed to one of the beds. She sat down and looked at her friend on the other bed, flipping through a magazine.  
  
"Contact Ami-chan," orders issued from behind the glossy pages. "Tell her we've got a leak." 


End file.
